The lack of escorts for the B-29s became a growing concern. One of the solution that was considered was to have fighter launched from aircraft carriers located closer to Japan join the bombing raid. Even so, no naval fighter had enough range. The only fighter which seemed suitable for this was the North American P-51 Mustang. The Mustang had initially been designed as a fighter, and evolved into a dedicated long-range escort fighter by late 1943. It had never been intended for carrier-borne operations. Most naval aircraft are designed as such from the start for several reasons. The stress endured by airframes during catapult launches and arrested landings far exceeds that of normal, land-based operations. This requires modifications to the aircraft, notably reinforcement of its fuselage and undercarriage. Catapulting hooks are required for catapult launches, and a tailhook is needed to catch the arrester cable upon landing. The small size of an aircraft carrier deck also means that a low approach speed is preferable. The environment in which naval aircraft evolve is also a problem. High salt and humidity levels greatly increase corrosion. Naval aircraft, just like ships, need to be treated to retard this as much as possible. Lastly, space is a rare commodity on an aircraft carrier, and folding wings are a very desirable feature of any naval aircraft. The Mustang had none of these features but, due to urgency, it was decided to modify a Mustang and investigate its performance in carrier operations. The program was given the name “Project Seahorse”. An early-series P-51D was selected. P-51D-5-NA serial number 44-14017 was retained by North American Aviation in Dallas, Texas. (1) Mustang! - Documents
